Thursday, November 3, 2011

Thanks everyone

Thanks for all of the encouraging words everyone, it means alot to me. I've always been hard on myself and the blog is no different. I know I can't be the best writer, or the best photographer, but that doesn't mean I still don't hold myself accountable. I often get frustrated with myself if I'm not keeping up with current events, new flavors, or just keeping an eye out for frozen treat reviews from fellow bloggers.

Actually, it's not just that. I've had a redesign percolating for at least 2 months now and have yet to implement it. Actually, I've got about three different ideas in my head, all requiring different amounts of skill and time, but none of them are getting finished. I know the blog could be better if I could just get my act together.

Did you know that I am just 4 posts away from my 500th review? That's just crazy! In fact, This message right here is post #811. I've seen blogs that haven't hit 80 posts, let alone 800. It's scary to think how much time and money I've sunk into this blog --- not that I'm worried about the money per say. I haven't stressed this in awhile, but a three dollar blizzard is alot cheaper than an eight dollar "value" meal for lunch.

Basically I think this blog should do 1 of 3 things. If a product is awesome, it should inspire you to try it. If a product is terrible, it should provide fair warning. If a product is in the middle, a post needs to be robust enough to help you make your own decision. I guess I need to realize that not every post can be a novel or a revelation. (oh I keep making typoes)

My love of ice cream has not faded, it's just not that easy to walk down the freezer aisle anymore. I need to get back to "ok, what do I want tonight?" and not "what's best for the blog right now?" I don't do it all the time, but at this point I do it way more than I should. I bought a second container of Blue Bunny Cookie Dough a few weeks ago and that was the first time in a couple of years that I bought again rather than pick something new.

I need to step back, breathe, and... well, have fun and dream big again. Over the summer I dreamed up the idea of the "Great American Ice Cream Road Trip". You know, pile the family in an RV and film all the great ice cream stands across this great nation of ours... yeah, I don't know how exciting that would be for anybody else, probably not enough faux reality tv tension to keep it exciting. Another dream would be to team up with a small ice cream shop. I would drive traffic to their site and in exchange I get to make a rotating flavor or two (I'd dream bigger but I realize running an ice cream shop is hard work).

Ok, off I go again, I just had to say thanks everyone. Maybe I'll work on that redesign this weekend... if I'm not painting the bathroom or playing with the kids (and trying to enjoy some belated trick or treating). So much to do, so little time!

I actually do like one of the suggestions someone posted in the comments of your last post. Getting a few guest reviewers like you did with adam awhile back would be good. Like if they reviewed products that were regional and not available everywhere just to add some new products that you might've never seen before. Me living in upstate new york ,we're full of stewarts shops which are gas stations but are well known for making their own ice cream. http://www.stewartsshops.com/ContentManager/index.cfm?Step=Display&ContentID=57 <-product list. Posts like these could get people excited if they're ever in that area to try a local favorite they might've not tried otherwise.

Thanks for all you do Dubya. I really enjoyed doing those Aggie ice cream reviews for you last year, and I hope you make it out west to try some of the products out there someday.

One thing I think that you can do to continue to improve your blog is to try to rate and review things on comperable products. Try to contextualize low-fat or lower sugar products. Sometimes it seems like when I read your reviews of them, they're almost never positive. But compared to other flavors of the same scope, how do they match up?

I think another cool thing you could do is to try out a "weekly homemade topper." Take something out of the ordinary -- like cereal, maybe -- and have it on top of ice cream. Do a little testing and let us know what's good!

Your ice cream road trip idea sounds like the start of a Food Network mini-series. Write a pitch and send it to them and the Travel Channel. You could get funded if you don't mind having a camera filming and a director staring at you. You'll also probably have to script some faux drama...

Totally understand your issues about feeling the need to try new things for the blog. I face the same issue at my two blogs often. As much I'd like to go back and get an old favorite, the need to generate new material often stops me from that and it is frustrating. Oh well, I guess its the price we pay for being reviewers!